Do you have people, in your life, who tells you what you should do for a living or what you should do with...?

Question

Do you have people, in your life, who tell you what you should do for a living or what you should do with your life, because they feel that you're wasting time in school studying courses to get an A.A. in order to further education?

I've gotten suggestions from relatives (particularly my aunts), and others, for instance, "Why don't you just study Nursing or take courses to be a CNA or one of the medical occupations?"

I had thought about it. I know others who are studying to be a Nurse because of possible job opportunities, and high salary. I feel that I want to consider other medical fields, since I'm somewhat pressured...

When I told them what major I considering, they started to question what types of job I might do with it.

Honestly, I'm not yet very clear of what I want to do with the major that I've been considering.

I usually get criticized; there are people who can make feel bad or put me down.

I want to be fulfilled.

Answer 1

it never ends. when we brought land even the neighbours were stopping by to tell us where they thought we should site our house, and there is one in particular who calls by every couple of weeks... shaking his head, havent you finished that verandah yet??? Oh,, arent the benchtops done??? I told you that you should have done...etc. etc..
Sometimes it is funny as you get to see which people always have an opinion on everything everybody else SHOULD be doing.
Sometimes I think back over all the ideas that other people have tried to put the dampener on and in honesty, there are a few things I wish I had done if other people had not talked me out of it.
SO!!!
Just smile and nod and do what YOU want. They dont actually have all the answers any more than you do.

Answer 2

follow your gut...it will never steer you wrong.

thank goodness I never "feed" into what others said I should do, no matter how well-meaning they were.

write down on paper the areas of life you enjoy, like art, people helping, real estate, law, mechanical things, working with your hands, or with your mind. Then, I would suggest you ask a career counselor or a trusted friend for guidance in determining what your likes open up for you. Look through "help wanted" ad's or cruise around the internet and read job descriptions. This should help bring clarification to what your interests can lead you.

keep it simple. you don't have to decide right this very moment.

I didn't start law school until I was in my thirties. So glad I waited too.

Best of luck.

Answer 3

Since it is your life, you get to pick the major and career! I am sure they have regrets about their youth and you remind them of those times. Take your own path! And be proud of what you are doing for yourself. You can always change directions later on. Tell other nosy people that you are studying to be a garbageman because they do so much to help the world after the holidays! LOL

Answer 4

I went through the same thing, as have many others, and was foolish and listened to them.
I have found in my 56 years of living that often times people try to live out their dreams through others.
Perhaps they wanted to go into the medical field and were unable to do so.
My advice is simple, follow your heart.
While it is necessary to make a descent living it is just as important to answer that desire that burns within.
That's where fulfillment and meaning to life come from.

Answer 5

Only you know what you want and what you are capable of. Listen to what people suggest and analyze it, and see if it meshes with your plans, if it don't ignore it and never discuss the subject with that particular person. If you are dealing with people who are paying for your school, they might pressure you to make sure that their money and energy is not going to waste, just be honest with them and make your plans known, if you don't have one tell them you need some more time and education to decide what best suits you.

Answer 6

Sweetie, we all have people in our lives who think they know what is best for us to do in any given situation. You cannot live your life to please everyone in it, someone will always find something to criticize. The only opinion of yourself you need to be concerned with is your own; accept yourself as you are, and don't worry what others think. Your decisions about your life, career, choice of life partner should be your own, based on what you feel in your heart is right for you, not on what others think you should do. If you are unsure of your career options, please take the time to speak to your academic advisor(s); and please go to your public library and spend lots of time with the Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, found in the reference section - there is lots of good information which should be helpful to you. Here is the like to the website, by the way:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/

Blessed be, and have a happy and fulfilling life!

Answer 7

i know exactly how you feel and i think that the best thing for you to do is go with what you want and what you feel you should do. don't do something you don't want to do just to make someone else happy. and when someone criticizes you or puts you down, say to them that they can say or think what they want but you will not take in the cruel things that they say. put the mean things in the back of your head were you wont remember them, because you know what you want and you know who truly are and that's what matters.

Answer 8

All right. This is YOUR life, not theirs.

Sure, they want you to have a successful life, a good career, good money coming in, that sort of thing. You could do that with a career in nursing. But it is something YOU want?

People have gone to law school, med school, all kinds of schools, to please someone else. Invariably they're miserable, and even if they do happen to make it through the coursework, following a career they hate for the rest of their life makes for a very sad life. You will hate your aunts, deep down inside, for making you miserable -- and you will hate yourself for following their advice.

When I was in 8th grade my dad "wanted to have a doctor and a nurse in the family" and my brother was in med school, and I was the last child and his last chance, so he pressured me into signing up for all the math and science I could in 9th grade, to prepare me for nurse's training. Which I did.

And before 9th grade started, I went right back up to the office where they scheduled my classes and changed everything. I decided I wanted to focus on a career doing "business" sorts of things, not nursing. I signed up for shorthand and typing and French and Art classes instead.

I have never regretted going against my dad's wishes, not for one second.

Look inside yourself and figure out what makes you SO happy doing it. What gives you so much joy you could just do it all day long? What kind of job would you have if you could do it all day long and YOU'd pay THEM to do it? THAT's your job.

During my graduation celebration from high school, some of my brothers and sisters were home to help me celebrate. I CLEARLY remember one brother advised me to go to dental school and be a dentist, because I could make so much money, and female dentists could make the same amount of money as male dentists. My sister told me I should forget college and go to work. My other brothers and sister had other similar "wonderful" advice for me, none of which I took. I did what I wanted to do, went to college, got a double major in English and Secretarial Studies Education, and prepared myself to be a court reporter. I've been a court reporter for 20 years, a career I've loved so much, a career that led me into bigger and better things than I'd ever imagined. I've always gotten to do what I wanted to do, because I'm following my own path.

NEVER let someone else pressure you into preparing for a career that you don't sincerely want. Rely on your own inner wisdom to guide you. As Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bliss." You won't regret it.

Answer 9

ofcourse,
im 15 and family is always asking me what i want to do w/ my life & when i tell them, they dissagree and tell me what i SHOULD do instead. i know they mean well, but i hate the pressure of it. i completely understand. just do what makes you happy, dont listen to anyone else its your life & your descision, if you're going to be doing it & studdying it, then why not enjoy it?
good luck!
:]

Answer 10

It's your life not theirs. If they don't like how you live it,then tell 'em to STUFF IT !